TMC MP's wife apologises for husband's 'rape' remark

A day after Trinamool Congress Member of Parliament Tapas Pal allegedly threatened to kill Communist Party of India-Marxist workers and have their women raped, his wife Nandini Pal on Tuesday apologised for her husband's controversial comment and said there was another part of the story.

"I apologise for his comment. Of course there is no question of supporting it. But yes I know there is another part of the story, which provoked him to do that. The entire incident had happened long back, what led to such a thing there is another part of the story," Nandini told reporters in Kolkata.

"On behalf of him I am saying sorry," said Nandini.

The controversial comment had triggered an uproar and sparked condemnation by opposition parties with CPI-M demanding that the Lok Sabha Speaker take suo motu cognisance of Pal's outburst and disqualify him.      

Trinamool Congress on Monday demanded an explanation in writing from the party's actor-MP within 48 hours for his comment.

"The statements made by Mr Tapas Pal are utterly insensitive. The party does not in any way endorse what he said many weeks ago, which is being played out on TV channels," party spokesman Derek O Brien had said.

The MP's comment also drew condemnation from the National Commission for Women.

Pal's comment which went viral on a vernacular TV news channel on Monday had quoted him saying, "If any CPI-M man is present here. Listen to me. If you ever touch any Trinamool Congress worker or their families at Choumaha, you have to pay for this. Don't try to act smart with me. I am smarter than you..."

"... Earlier, you guys have bullied me on various occasions. If you insult the mothers and daughters of Trinamool workers. Then I won't spare you. I will let loose my boys in your homes and they will commit rape. I will teach each of you a lesson," the MP had warned.

Pal, however, denied that he spoke about rape. "What I said was I will tell my workers to 'raid'."

Image: Tapas Pal